Three months ago I moved with my wife Whitney to the beautiful hill town in Mexico’s central highlands, San Miguel de Allende. Whitney had been diagnosed eight years ago with early onset Alzheimer’s… she was only 56. During the ensuing years I was Whitney’s only caregiver. As the disease continued to rob her of her memory I realized that the time would come when I would need help… lot’s of it.

I was fortunate that about 4 years ago I found a great caregivers group in our home town of San Diego. The support, love, wisdom and compassion I got from my caregiving partners was instrumental in allowing me to stay one step ahead in caring for Whitney as her needs increased.

And, I saw that I was rapidly approaching a crisis… how was I going to pay for Whitney’s future care as her condition was rapidly declining? The cost of placing someone in a well regarded Alzheimer’s care facility in San Diego costs between $6,000 and $10,000 a month. That kind of expense would steadily wipe out our savings, and while we had a good income for a normal retirement… what was approaching scared the hell out of me.

Then, quite unexpectedly, I received an email from an old friend. He told me about Cielito Lindo, an assisted living community just out side of San Miguel de Allende. He was so positive about Cielito Lindo that Whitney and I flew south for a visit. It was shocking how different Cielito Lindo was compared to the many care facilities I looked at in San Diego. I was so impressed. It’s a beautiful facility, the caregivers are so loving, considerate and patient. In my view, Ciliate Lindo is about one third the cost and more than three times better care than anything I saw in San Diego. I was thrilled. My many prayers were answered.

Now that Whitney is a full time resident of Cielito Lindo I’m even more impressed. She has been there for three months and while her abilities have mostly evaporated, every day I see how wonderfully she is cared for. The mexican heart is warm and lovely. I couldn’t be happier with the decision to move us to San Miguel… and I get to live in one of the most remarkable communities in the world.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to you and the entire Cielito Lindo staff and caregivers for taking such wonderful care of my mother. Having her move into Cielito Lindo is one of the best decisions we've ever made. She is so happy there.

A year ago my mother was living in our home with us. She had a wonderful caregiver, a beautiful room, and absolutely no life. She used to say she was "like a bird in a gilded cage." My mother has always been a very social person who loves people and activities, but as her alzheimers progressed, I could not provide the type of environment that nourished and stimulated her. She began having episodes of depression and experienced severe hallucinations from the drugs her U.S. doctors prescribed. Today, thanks to all the care and attention she receives from you and her caregivers, she enjoys the companionship of new friends, attends all the weekly activities, outings and fiestas, and hardly needs any medication.

Unfortunately, most families in the U.S. are only familiar with the expensive full time care facilities provided in U.S. cities - the ones with elegant entry lobbies but very little genuine care on the inside. They have no idea how incredibly nurturing and wonderful senior caregiving in Mexico can be - such loving attention. And until one actually visits Cielito Lindo, it's difficult to imagine what a beautiful resort style community you offer your senior residents. When we come to visit mom it's like going to a vacation spa.

I know how difficult it is to care for a parent who needs full time care. And I know how painful it is to make the decision to have "strangers" care for someone you love. I would very much like to help other North Americans who are unable to care for their loved ones at home, or who are dissatisfied with the level of care they receive in the U.S. If you would like to give my phone number to anyone considering Cielito Lindo as a residence for a loved one, please feel free to do so. I would be more than happy to personally answer any questions and hopefully inspire them to visit Cielito Lindo and my mother.

With enormous gratitude for your kindness,Arie RaysorDallas, Texas

P.S. I am very excited that our family can have video phone calls with my mom through Skype!!!

-…” I was impressed by the tenderness of how caregivers handle the residents at Cielito Lindo”-.Tim P.-“… I wanted my parents to experience the contact with nature, flowers, blue sky, fresh air, every day for the rest of their lives.”-Diana M. Albuquerque NM- “… the fact that there is an onsite doctor in Cielito Lindo gave me the peace of mind I was looking for. I am sure that my mom is not going to be over medicated.”-Lynn B. San Francisco CA- “… I couldn’t afford this level of assistance in the facility where my father was living back home.”-Winton Ch.FL- “… the girls (caregivers) in this place are like angels.” –Nadine R. Resident